How Did You Know?
by sugar high4
Summary: Hermione’s twin has come to Hogwarts, and has developed a slight crush on Ron. Will he be able to tell the two apart? Short, FLUFFY ficlet- R/Hr, of course! Please, r/r- it won’t take much time.
1. prologue

Ok, I know I should be working on These Games We Play, but I had a little bit of writers block, so I had to get this idea out of my head. Just a short little ficlet, intended for all R/Hr fans.  
  
No, I don't own Harry Potter. But hey- JK Rowling has to leave her characters to somebody in her will, right?  
  
~~*~~**~~*~~  
  
There was a secret from Hermione's past that had been kept for a good portion of her life. The students at Hogwarts were completely unaware, until their sixth year, when Hermione's twin arrived, bags in hand.  
  
Now, months later, the students had come to grips with this surprise. Hermione explained to all of her friends that she never talked about Lanie (her twin) because it hurt her too much. When she found out at age eleven that her identical twin sister did not posses the same powers she did, and that they would be separated, she was devastated.  
  
Which partially accounted for why she worked so hard in school, and why she never spent any time at home. In the summer she was at the Burrow, during holidays she stayed at school. After her first year, when she went home as a hero, she realized that she and her sister had grown apart. This realization hurt Hermione. It got to where they couldn't even talk anymore.  
  
She never told anyone, even Harry and Ron- her best friends, about Lanie because she knew they would want to meet her. But in their sixth year, things changed. Lanie began showing a lot of the 'symptoms' of magic. And so, she was transferred to Hogwarts.  
  
~~~  
  
She had an easy time adjusting, because every friend of Hermione's wanted to be friends with her too. Also, she was sorted into Gryffindor, so she was near her sister. They began to renew the relationship they'd had as kids. Sharing everything with each other.  
  
Lanie told Hermione secrets about the people she'd known before Hogwarts, and Hermione finally had a girl to vent to- a girl to tell her secrets to. And boy, was one of those secrets important.  
  
Over the years, Hermione had been developing a slight. . . crush, on Ron. Yes, the same Ronald Weasley whose house she stayed at every summer- the same Ronald Weasley who aggravated her to no end- the same Ronald Weasley who had belched up slugs for her and faced giant spiders to save her life.  
  
Sometime in the fifth year Hermione realized that it had turned to love. When she was around him, when she spoke to him, when he said her name, she was on cloud nine.  
  
If she had paid as much attention to his looks and gestures as she paid to her books, she would have realized that he reciprocated those gestures. He carried her books to every class- even the ones he didn't take. He brought her food when she was too busy to eat. He still defended her against every possible danger that existed. And, in secret, he loved Hermione Granger.  
  
Ron told all of his feelings to Harry. Hermione, for once, could tell someone too. Lanie.  
  
~~~  
  
This is the part in the story when Lanie begins to play a bigger part. As the days went on, and Hermione gushed more and more about Ron, Lanie began to pay more attention to him. She didn't find this very hard. Ron, in an attempt to stay on Hermione's good side, spent time getting to know her sister. He also was generally kind to her, as were Harry and Ginny, Hermione's other closest friends.  
  
Lanie wasn't slow, and as the months went by she began to notice the undeniable chemistry between Hermione and Ron. They were perfect together, but their constant bickering and states of aggravation kept them from seeing this. Lanie was beginning to think they would never get together, which worked well for her purposes.  
  
Something else began to happen as the months went by. Another 'mystery' for the fabulous trio to solve. Key word in that sentence: trio. Lanie noticed that the trio was spending a lot of time sneaking around, and playing with Harry Potter's old cloak. She was left with her other friends, and she began to resent the fact that her sister was once again growing apart from her.  
  
And then it happened. Voldemort attacked again, and the fabulous trio was called to save Hogwarts once again. During the battle, Hermione was nearly killed, and Ron risked his own life to save her.  
  
Harry was already on the ground, injured, when Voldemort cast a spell against Hermione. Ron dove in front of her and there was an explosion. Harry and Hermione were both thrown backwards, out of harms way. They lay there for almost ten minutes before help arrived.  
  
Dumbledore, McGonagall, and numerous other professors arrived on the scene, bringing Lanie along with them in case something had happened to Hermione. When they got there, they found her rising from the ground, tears streaking her face. She explained to them what had happened, and told them that she was going to get Ron.  
  
They tried to tell her that Ron was dead, but she kept screaming at them. Saying things like 'It's not possible,' and 'he can't be!' The area was engulfed in flames, so she couldn't logically go in after him. The entire group was in despair. And then. . .  
  
~~~  
  
The most beautiful thing happened that anyone in Hogwarts had seen since Lily and James. As Hermione was crying her hardest, when she finally believed that Ron was gone, a figure stepped out of the flames. Slowly lifting her head, Hermione saw Ron. Injured, but not dead.  
  
She ran to him as fast as she could, and when she reached him he lifted her in his arms and swung her around. They shared their first kiss, and FINALLY confessed their love for each other. That was when the problems started.  
  
~~*~~**~~*~~  
  
Or maybe I should use the word problem, since it was a singular person. I hope no one has forgotten about the onlooker that was also in love with Ron- Hermione's sister. From that moment on, Lanie hated her sister. Hermione could never figure out why- she never guessed that Lanie would be jealous of her relationship with Ron Weasley, and she never guessed that her sister would be jealous that she was left out of the battle that night.  
  
It was the most important battle in Hogwarts history. Well, all of history, for that matter. Why, you ask? Because- Voldemort was taken out for good.  
  
~~~  
  
So now we've finally come to the reason this story was written. Seventh year, when Lanie decided to take matters into her own hands. She'd spent the summer at the Burrow with her sister, and had managed to fall more in love with Ron. Who wouldn't fall in love with the Gryffindor quidditch captain, a tall, handsome, built redhead?  
  
She knew that if she just had one chance with Ron she could make him love her- she just didn't see how that could ever happen with Hermione around. Unless. . . she found a way to get past that.  
  
Lanie spent days talking to everyone who knew the couple, especially Harry and Ginny, to find out everything they could about Ron and Hermione's past. She got pictures from Ginny, even sent an owl to Viktor Krum, asking him what he remembered about Hermione's fourth year.  
  
She met with Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil to discuss Hermione's style choices. She learned everything she would need to know to, in essence, be Hermione Granger.  
  
Finally, she decided that she'd gotten it right. She could really pull this off. In the Great Hall for breakfast one morning Lanie overheard Ron mention to Hermione that he was planning a walk by the lake for them that night. 'This is my chance!' She thought, excitedly. That day she went to Lavender. "Could you convince Hermione to help you with something tonight?" Lavender looked at her strangely, but for once didn't ask questions.  
  
When Hermione walked into the common room Lavender asked for her help in transfiguration. Of course, Hermione said yes, and sent a note to Ron telling him that she wouldn't be able to meet him that night. Lanie intercepted it and got ready for her big night.  
  
~~~  
  
Her choice of clothing wasn't Hermione- like, but would no doubt be effective. It was a red slinky dress, hugging her body in all of the right places. She did her hair in an updo, the kind Hermione had it in for the Yule Ball. She was ready.  
  
Lanie met Ron on the main staircase. "'ello Love."  
  
"Hey." She purred.  
  
"I've set up a little midnight picnic."  
  
"Sounds perfect." He gave her a lopsided grin and she felt her heart melt. As they passed the great hall Neville waved to them. Lanie didn't so much as acknowledge the poor guy.  
  
"Hermione, are you feeling all right?" Ron asked, in response to her actions.  
  
"I'm great." Lanie said, truthfully.  
  
~~~  
  
Hermione sat with Lavender in the common room when the door opened and Neville walked in. "Woah, how'd you sneak past me?" He asked her in surprise.  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"I just saw you walking outside with Ron- on your way to the lake."  
  
"But I'm not- " She realized what was going on. "Oh my God." Hermione took off running for the lake. She managed to get there as Ron and Lanie were just sitting down. Instead of running at them and throttling her twin she stood there, watching them, unable to move.  
  
~~~  
  
"Ron- this is amazing." Lanie giggled in delight. She looked up into his big blue eyes. Slowly, she began to move her body towards him, leaning in for their first kiss.  
  
"Lanie, what are you trying to pull?"  
  
"What?" She looked up at him in surprise.  
  
"I know it's you. I've known since I saw you on the stairwell."  
  
"What are you talking about- you're so silly, Ron."  
  
"Don't you think that I can tell the woman I love apart from others? I saw the way you looked at Neville, I've heard the way you've been giggling, and Hermione NEVER called me pumpkin. I can tell in the way you move, the way you act- you're not her."  
  
Lanie was stuck- she did the only thing she could think of and threw herself towards Ron, kissing him on the lips. He quickly pulled away. "Lanie, I'm sorry. I'm in love with someone else." He stood up and turned to walk away, finding himself face to face with Hermione.  
  
~~~  
  
"'Mione! It's not- I didn't- " But she silenced him with a kiss. "It's ok. I love you too." He was red in the face, embarrassed by the situation he'd caused. "I can't believe you knew it wasn't me." She whispered softly, as he wrapped his arms around her. "When she first came you had trouble telling us apart- what made it different tonight?" Ron gave a one-word answer, the best he could have given. "Love."  
  
~~*~~**~~*~~  
  
THE END. Ok, I hope you guys liked that- PLEASE review and tell me what you thought- feedback would be much appreciated!  
  
Love and Sugarcubes  
  
~ Sugar High 


	2. help!

Hey~  
  
Ok, first of all. . . THANK YOU, to all of you who reviewed. I really appreciate it.  
  
Anyway, I was reading your reviews and I noticed something. A lot of you seem to want me to continue the story, and turn it into a multi- chapter fic. So, I have decided to do just that. There is just one small problem. I'm not quite sure what kind of fic. you guys want.  
  
When I wrote How Did You Know, I was trying to get an idea out of my head so that I could finish my other story, These Games We Play, and I really didn't intend for it to be more than a one chapter ficlet.  
  
So I need to know a few things from you. I need to know how I should continue this, and I've come up with a couple of ideas so far.  
  
~~~  
  
~ What happened to Lanie after the lake scene  
  
~ What happened to everyone- Ron, and Hermione included, after the lake scene  
  
~ A story about them when they are older, when Lanie reappears from the past. They won't have seen her for a while and she can come and try to terrorize them again or something. Maybe she can show up at Ron's work, and try to get him to like her again or something. And then there's always the possibility of her trying to do something to Hermione- trying to kill her, kidnapping her, kidnapping her and taking her place, threatening her, etc. Or she could try and ruin Ron and Hermione's wedding. Or maybe Lanie could turn to some dark lord type figure to help get revenge on them.  
  
~ A multi- chapter fic. about what happened in the story- actually going into things in detail- writing what happened during the months there was no story, describing Lanie's plans/ thoughts.  
  
~~~  
  
If any of you can come up with other ideas, please tell me, and above all, REVIEW. I need you to review and tell me how you'd like me to continue. If enough of you tell me, then I gladly will.  
  
Love and Sugarcubes  
  
~ Sugar High 


End file.
